Theo Vanderway
Theo Vanderway is a fictional character on The Young and the Restless. He was originally portrayed by Nic Luken. He is now being played by Tyler Johnson. Storylines During Theo's childhood, his family didn't have that much money, living paycheck to paycheck. When Theo was 15, his father passed away, and to this day, Theo wonders if his father knew how much he loved him. Currently, Theo is a social media influencer and an old friend of Kyle Abbott’s that he presumably met while in New York. One night, Theo and Kyle hosted a wild party and a young woman named Zoe Hardisty got so wasted that they had to take her to the ER. They panicked when they found out Zoe was 17, so Theo suggests they just drop her off at the hospital and leave. The next morning, Zoe’s father confronted Theo and Kyle, and Kyle paid him off. Connecting with Summer As the new CEO of Jabot, Jack needed some new strategies to help the company recover from Ashley's attacks. Kyle and Summer pitched the idea to use social media influencers for marketing, which Jack thought was a great idea. Kyle suggested that maybe his friend Theo could help. So, Kyle and Summer went to New York to speak with him about promoting Jabot Cosmetics. Theo later came to Genoa City where he and Summer hung out and eventually slept together. They both enjoyed having a casual, no-strings-attached relationship. In contrast, Kyle and Lola were fully committed and recently engaged, which Theo and Summer mocked. They didn't want to become settled and boring. So, the two of them set out to have as much fun as they could, and their similar outlooks on life made them the perfect company for each other. However, Theo was put off by the fact that Summer couldn’t seem to let Kyle go. Summer eventually asked for a second chance and realized it was time for her to move on from Kyle. Toying with Kyle Theo wasn't happy with how Kyle had changed now that he was with Lola, and started causing problems for them. He invited a group of friends to the Abbott Mansion without Kyle's knowledge, interrupting his night with Lola. Theo had hoped to reignite Kyle's wild side, but Kyle was not amused with the impromptu party. He quickly shut it down and threw everyone out. Although Theo later apologized about it, he continued to stir up trouble for Kyle and Lola. He told Celeste about Kyle's wild days in New York, and also mentioned that Kyle was recently divorced. Celeste was suddenly against Lola marrying Kyle, after hearing these revelations from Theo. Kyle was livid and told Theo he wanted nothing to do with him anymore. Still, Theo refused to give up on Kyle and even began threatening him with their secret. As the tension escalated, Kyle feared that Lola would find out about the major scandal. Theo believed Lola was judgmental and thought Kyle was a hot mess. When Summer was invited to Kyle and Lola’s joint bachelorette and bachelor party, she brought Theo as her plus one. Summer and Theo made some snide comments during a video montage of Kyle and Lola, which angered Abby. As she and Summer argued, Theo made a speech and started to allude to their past, so Kyle interrupted him. A fight broke out between them, but Rey and Jack intervened before things got too physical. Partying with Zoe Summer gets annoyed with how Theo was treating Kyle and ends things with him. Before breaking up, Theo tells Summer his and Kyle's secret. Three years ago, an underage girl named Zoe got wasted at one of Kyle and Theo's parties. They dumped her at the ER, and Kyle later paid off Zoe's father. This irritates Summer even more, since Theo wasn’t even grateful to Kyle for handling the situation. Theo then gets in touch with Zoe, who has also become a social media influencer. He and Zoe crash Kyle and Lola’s wedding, much to Kyle's frustration. Theo had told Zoe that Kyle was haunted by the night she overdosed on alcohol. This made Zoe want to attend the wedding and let Kyle know she was all right. But Kyle just grows agitated, worrying now more than ever that Lola would learn the secret. Later, Summer confronts Theo about crashing the wedding to mess with Kyle. Summer acts upset, but Theo claims that deep down, she was glad because she still wants revenge on Kyle. Summer kisses him. Since Theo vouched for Zoe, Abby lets her attend the Grand Phoenix opening as an influencer. Over a game of pool, Kyle wonders why Theo is so interested in his new job as interim CEO. Theo blurts that he's tired of seeing Kyle pretend to be someone he's not, but Kyle calls Theo out for being jealous of him. When Zoe spikes the sangria, Theo is the first to realize that the guests are drugged. He points the finger at Zoe as a possible suspect. Working with Mariah Devon offers Theo a job, but it's not the job that Theo wanted. He wants to run power of communications, but that position is already filled by Mariah. When Theo says that Mariah is inexperienced, Devon stands up for her. Quickly apologizing, Theo states that he just wants to stay in Genoa City and create his powerbase here. Devon forgives him, understanding his passion, but Devon later tells Mariah what Theo said. Aware that Theo may be gunning for her job, Mariah pretends to get along with him. At the same time, Theo is also pretending to be friendly with Mariah so that she'll let her guard down. Summer and Tessa are surprised to see Theo and Mariah drinking shots together like the best of pals. In the park, after helping their influencer clients, Theo hugs Mariah, declaring that they make a great team. This only makes Mariah trust him less. Underneath this facade of friendship, they are both wary of each other, each believing that they have the upper hand. Theo makes a bold move and sets up a meeting with Tessa. He made it sound like Mariah would be there too, but she's not. It's just Theo and Tessa. Theo starts to explain that if Tessa wanted to do a live stream, he could tell her the best time to do it that would get her the most viewers. Tessa seems to think that his help might be valuable after all, but then she realizes that Theo is hitting on her. She says she's committed to Mariah, but Theo doesn't care. Living with Regret While comforting Summer over the loss of her grandfather, Theo opens up to her about his childhood. His father was a kind yet strong-willed man who was a union delegate for the Teamsters. They didn't have much money, but Theo's father was proud of his job and their small house. Then one day, when Theo was just 15, he woke up to discover that his dad had passed away from a heart-attack. Theo confides in Summer that he never got the chance to tell his father how proud he was to be his son. They'd spent the last few years arguing about trivial matters, and Theo regrets some of the things he said to him. Sitting sadly on the park bench, he laments that it's too late to take it back. It's too late to tell his father how much he meant to him. He'd give anything for just one more minute with his dad. That's why Theo always tries to seize the day and live every moment to the fullest. You never know how much time you have left with the people you care about. After hearing this sorrowful story, Summer believes she is finally getting to know the real Theo. She jokes that under his hip exterior, he's got a heart. She understands Theo wishing to have just one more moment with his father, because Summer feels the same way about Victor. Theo's dad was an all-knowing, all-powerful presence in his life, much like Victor was for Summer. When Kyle texts, Summer leaves Theo on the bench, lost in thought. Laughing with Lola One day, Theo unexpectedly shows up in the kitchens of Society. As Lola chops veggies, Theo asks for her help in patching things up with Kyle. Distracted, Lola cuts her finger, causing Theo to faint. Later, Lola can't resist pulling a prank on Theo. She squirts red condiments on her hand, then feigns another knife injury. On the verge of passing out, Theo notices the condiments bottle and realizes that the blood is fake. Laughing, he thanks Lola for lifting his spirits. It was just what he needed to cheer him up after being fired by Devon. They joke around some more, and soon realize they actually have a lot in common. They both come from working-class families and have similar values. Throughout the fall, Theo and Lola form a growing friendship. When Lola gets the flu, Theo makes Lola smile by leaving some soup outside her door. Lola even asks Theo to be her taste-tester when Kyle is unavailable. According to Theo, her food is so good that it makes him want to hug someone. Fun and games aside, Theo and Lola also have some deep and serious conversations, especially when Theo finds out he's Kyle's long-lost cousin. Lola is concerned about how Theo is handling the news, and listens as he worries about his identity. On the flipside, Theo and Summer never talk about anything meaningful. It's all surface-level between them. So, Theo breaks up with her and decides to focus on his new job at Jabot. Celebrating with Family With Christmas right around the corner, Theo visits the Abbott Mansion and shares some of his holiday traditions with Jack and Traci. They are fascinated to hear more about the Vanderways. Theo's mother was a teacher, and she always had time off in December. She was an expert at wrapping and hiding the gifts. No matter how hard Theo looked, he could never find them. Then, after going to church on Christmas morning, they would return home to find all the gifts, magically under the tree. Once all the presents were opened, they'd eat Oliebollen for breakfast. Theo had brought some Oliebollen for Jack and Traci to try, explaining to them that it means "oil balls." Another name for them is "Dutch Donuts." While Theo mulls over his traditions, he suddenly realizes how strange it all was, considering that he nor his father were actually Dutch. Traci reassures him that they are still beautiful memories. They eat the Oliebollen, which Traci and Jack love. Theo is invited to spend Christmas with the Abbotts . . . will he attend? Gallery Theo1.png Nic Luken as Theo Vanderway.jpeg|Nic Luken as Theo Vanderway Kyle with Theo and Zoe.jpeg Kyle with Theo and Zoe.png Kyle with Theo and Zoe2.png Kyle with Theo and Zoe1.jpeg TheoVanderway.jpeg Theo and Summer.jpeg Devon fires Theo.jpeg Anna Summer Theo.jpeg Theo2.jpeg Theo talking with Lola.jpeg Summer & Theo at Society.jpeg Category:Current characters Category:Men of Genoa City Category:The Young and the Restless characters